Winch line - synthetic vs cable

[chorky]

I know I know.... synthetic is boss right? Everyone has synthetic these days.

However, for a condition where a winch sees AAALLLLLLLL the nasty road grime all winter long because it is on the BACK of a vehicle - is synthetic still best? Or is cable better? Which has better corrosion and degradation resistance? I am hoping synthetic still wins that debate because it is lighter, but it's a serious consideration for me. Asking from those who have experienced both cable and synthetic

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[Chief_jeep]

Just curious why you’d think it being on the back would make a difference? Mines on the front and it’s constantly sprayed with road debris from the cars in front of me. I have a synthetic line and have used it many times this winter to pull people out. It’s in as good of condition as it was new and we see a lot of heavy snowfall.

 

[chorky]

d make a difference? Mines on the front and it’s constantly sprayed with road debris from the cars in front of me. I have a synthetic line and have used it many times this winter to pull people out. It’s in as good of conditio

From my experiences the underside of vehicles usually see more consistent impacts and inundation of road debris - plus they spray that liquid de-icer salt garbage in my area.... regular washing is not an option for me in the winter time.

 

[Chief_jeep]

Are you mounting it in the rear bumper? I don’t think you’ll have any issues with a good synthetic line but that’s just an opinion. I have no data points on which is more weather durable. Worst case scenario you change the line every few years but I doubt that’s necessary.

 

[chorky]

ounting it in the rear bumper? I don’t think you’ll have any issues with a good synthetic line but that’s just an opinion. I have no data p

yessir - going on the rear. I dont have first hand experience with synthetic - but I have seen steel cables not taken care of rust away quickly. Everything has maintenance needs. Years ago when synthetic first came out I do recall hearing it is not happy getting muddy/sandy/gritty because the small bits of dirt/mud work into the fibers and start tearing them apart - but that was years ago and I dont know how valid of a statement that really is. I would prefer synthetic - but just want to make sure it's the most appropriate option before making a purchase.

 

[TroutFishingInAmerica]

Synthetic. Soft shackles. The stuff is so nice.
I do have some 3/8 cable and it's been reduced to skidding wind blown trees around for fire wood. It's over a decade old, wear gloves and have your tetanus shot up to date.
Synthetic you should try to keep reasonable clean and try to avoid the UV's. There's a reason the synthetic has taken over and is so popular. It is a item that needs to be replaced occasionally. So nice to use not to mention the safety aspect.

 

[Chief_jeep]

That’s interesting. Never even considered that when I purchased mine. In my short experience, the synthetic rope looks brand new. We’ve had a huge winter and I’ve been driving in salted/snow covered roads a ton. I’d imagine a metal line wouldn’t be in as great of shape with all the salt and freeze/thaw on it. Even if it didn’t last as long I’d go synthetic for the weight saving and replace it.

 

[chorky]

Synthetic. Soft shackles. The stuff is so nice.
I do have some 3/8 cable and it's been reduced to skidding wind blown trees around for fire wood. It's over a decade old, wear gloves and have your tetanus shot up to date.
Synthetic you should try to keep reasonable clean and try to avoid the UV's. There's a reason the synthetic has taken over and is so popular. It is a item that needs to be replaced occasionally. So nice to use not to mention the safety aspect.

keeping it clean is unlikely - hence the question. I dont want to have to replace expensive line every couple years. But it will be tucked away so UV wont really be a factor

 

[GEETCH]

Each type of winch line will require some level of maintenance to protect it and keep it in good working order. Synthetic line needs to be protected from UV and dirt contamination, requiring occasional washing. Wire rope requires some sort of corrosion prevention, also needs to be protected from kinks.

here is a basic break down of the pros and cons:

SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE PROS

• Strength: Dyneema rope is up to 15 times stronger than steel.
• Weight: Synthetic rope is much lighter than steel, and easier to carry and handle.
• Handling: Synthetic rope doesn’t develop sharp burrs over time, which can be dangerous.
• No rust: Steel cable can rust and in turn weaken if not kept dry and maintained.
• Safety: Synthetic rope doesn’t store up as much energy as a steel cable does, which means if it breaks it won’t become a lethal projectile and cause injury to you or damage your vehicle.
• It’s flexible: Steel winch cable is prone to kinks which in turn makes it harder to spool up on the drum, further decreasing strength. It is to be noted that synthetic rope, if not handled carefully can knot.
• It floats: If you get stuck in a mud-hole or body of water having this advantage can be a great help.
• Repair: if it snaps it can usually be repaired in the field with proper braiding techniques.

SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE CONS

• Can be susceptible to UV exposure, heat, chemicals and abrasion. If the rope’s going to be dragged over jagged rocks and other harsh terrain it can get damaged.
• Can hold water: this can add weight, and if you’re in a cold environment, can even freeze.
• Needs to be properly maintained. Grains of sand and dirt can bury themselves in the rope’s core and weaken it’s integrity. If you’re out in the mud and dirt it’s important that you take time to spool it out and wash it occasionally.
• Expense: Synthetic cable is often the more expensive option.

Also you need to consider, a synthetic line requires a difficernt kind of fairlead, smooth alumanum, which means less moving parts. As well, if you have snatch blocks etc that have been used with wire rope, it is highly recommended to get new ones to use with synthetic line, wire can leave trace burs on equipment that will rip into synthetic line.

I personally run a sythetic line.

 

[21RG]

• Safety: Synthetic rope doesn’t store up as much energy as a steel cable does, which means if it breaks it won’t become a lethal projectile and cause injury to you or damage your vehicle

Everything you said but the amount of energy stored. It has the same amount of "energy" as a metal cable. The difference is how it reacts when there is a break. Metal is not flexible, as you mentioned synthetic is. When a break occurs the metal has no way to absorb the shock and that is where you get the massive reaction. Synthetic is able to absorb the shock much better and also collapse on itself. But there is still the same amount of energy.

I would suggest a cable on the rear, the reasons:
- The OP said there is no option to clean in the winter due to the environmental conditions. Freezing conditions affect the use of the synthetic line. Metal cable will be easier to use when there is ice, road debris and everything else kicked up towards the rear of the vehicle, more than the front.
- Synthetic while durable and great, being stored on the winch drum all winter without cleaning and unwinding to dry will eventually rot the line.
- Metal will corrode, but it is easier to unwind in freezing conditions for use.
- How often is a rear winch used? Not often unless the OP has specific uses and the conditions require the rear winch over the front.

At some point both lines would need to cleaned after each winter. This would increase the life of any line.

If a synthetic line is used in the rear, a cover would be very helpful. It would prevent much of the road debris, ice and anything else from sticking to the line and winch. I would still unwind and clean every spring and fall at minimum.

 

[AmishMike]

Synthetic for safety reasons alone. I have seen a few wire cables break and it is scary! On the farm we even broke 9/16” chains and they jumped too.
Buy a cover to keep the UV off of it and just keep an eye on the dirt build up.
Plus with synthetic, you are not going to slice your hand open on a split wire. You do not need that on top of whatever dilemma you already need the winch for.
For $ purposes you can buy one with a wire cable them swap it out and sell the brand new wire to someone else.

 

[Fpolanco]

This might sound dumb and my apologies if I missed this being said already but...

Why not cover the winch? I’m currently running a winch on my JT and it stays covered until it’s needed.

I’d rather replace the cover every few yrs than the winch line.

 

[chorky]

Each type of winch line will require some level of maintenance to protect it and keep it in good working order. Synthetic line needs to be protected from UV and dirt contamination, requiring occasional washing. Wire rope requires some sort of corrosion prevention, also needs to be protected from kinks.

here is a basic break down of the pros and cons:

SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE PROS

• Strength: Dyneema rope is up to 15 times stronger than steel.
• Weight: Synthetic rope is much lighter than steel, and easier to carry and handle.
• Handling: Synthetic rope doesn’t develop sharp burrs over time, which can be dangerous.
• No rust: Steel cable can rust and in turn weaken if not kept dry and maintained.
• Safety: Synthetic rope doesn’t store up as much energy as a steel cable does, which means if it breaks it won’t become a lethal projectile and cause injury to you or damage your vehicle.
• It’s flexible: Steel winch cable is prone to kinks which in turn makes it harder to spool up on the drum, further decreasing strength. It is to be noted that synthetic rope, if not handled carefully can knot.
• It floats: If you get stuck in a mud-hole or body of water having this advantage can be a great help.
• Repair: if it snaps it can usually be repaired in the field with proper braiding techniques.

SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE CONS

• Can be susceptible to UV exposure, heat, chemicals and abrasion. If the rope’s going to be dragged over jagged rocks and other harsh terrain it can get damaged.
• Can hold water: this can add weight, and if you’re in a cold environment, can even freeze.
• Needs to be properly maintained. Grains of sand and dirt can bury themselves in the rope’s core and weaken it’s integrity. If you’re out in the mud and dirt it’s important that you take time to spool it out and wash it occasionally.
• Expense: Synthetic cable is often the more expensive option.

Also you need to consider, a synthetic line requires a difficernt kind of fairlead, smooth alumanum, which means less moving parts. As well, if you have snatch blocks etc that have been used with wire rope, it is highly recommended to get new ones to use with synthetic line, wire can leave trace burs on equipment that will rip into synthetic line.

I personally run a sythetic line.

Everything you said but the amount of energy stored. It has the same amount of "energy" as a metal cable. The difference is how it reacts when there is a break. Metal is not flexible, as you mentioned synthetic is. When a break occurs the metal has no way to absorb the shock and that is where you get the massive reaction. Synthetic is able to absorb the shock much better and also collapse on itself. But there is still the same amount of energy.

I would suggest a cable on the rear, the reasons:
- The OP said there is no option to clean in the winter due to the environmental conditions. Freezing conditions affect the use of the synthetic line. Metal cable will be easier to use when there is ice, road debris and everything else kicked up towards the rear of the vehicle, more than the front.
- Synthetic while durable and great, being stored on the winch drum all winter without cleaning and unwinding to dry will eventually rot the line.
- Metal will corrode, but it is easier to unwind in freezing conditions for use.
- How often is a rear winch used? Not often unless the OP has specific uses and the conditions require the rear winch over the front.

At some point both lines would need to cleaned after each winter. This would increase the life of any line.

If a synthetic line is used in the rear, a cover would be very helpful. It would prevent much of the road debris, ice and anything else from sticking to the line and winch. I would still unwind and clean every spring and fall at minimum.

Thanks for the responses!! I am particularly interested in this portion of your comments

"
Can hold water: this can add weight, and if you’re in a cold environment, can even freeze.
Needs to be properly maintained. Grains of sand and dirt can bury themselves in the rope’s core and weaken its integrity. If you’re out in the mud and dirt it’s important that you take time to spool it out and wash it occasionally.
"

So this is is a big deal - for the last several days, in the afternoon for an hour or two temps have gone above freezing - although I'm not sure if it is above freezing enough to melt any ice buildup. I never thought of a winch line actually freezing. But being underside the rig it would be constantly pummeled with water and whatever spray from the road (even with having rear mud flaps) which worries me about how much water it will soak up.

But it begs the question - if it is frozen is it entirely impossible to use? Lots of people have winches up front in similar environments and I never hear of them freezing up that's a new one to me. But I certainly see that possibility.

This might sound dumb and my apologies if I missed this being said already but...

Why not cover the winch? I’m currently running a winch on my JT and it stays covered until it’s needed.

I’d rather replace the cover every few yrs than the winch line.

Not a dumb question at all. Here is a link to the video of the install by the company. I just don't know if getting a cover on and off is a reasonable expectation. There likely is only an inch or two space between the winch and the rear spare tire.

 

[Fpolanco]

Thanks for the responses!! I am particularly interested in this portion of your comments

"
Can hold water: this can add weight, and if you’re in a cold environment, can even freeze.
Needs to be properly maintained. Grains of sand and dirt can bury themselves in the rope’s core and weaken its integrity. If you’re out in the mud and dirt it’s important that you take time to spool it out and wash it occasionally.
"

So this is is a big deal - for the last several days, in the afternoon for an hour or two temps have gone above freezing - although I'm not sure if it is above freezing enough to melt any ice buildup. I never thought of a winch line actually freezing. But being underside the rig it would be constantly pummeled with water and whatever spray from the road (even with having rear mud flaps) which worries me about how much water it will soak up.

But it begs the question - if it is frozen is it entirely impossible to use? Lots of people have winches up front in similar environments and I never hear of them freezing up that's a new one to me. But I certainly see that possibility.




Not a dumb question at all. Here is a link to the video of the install by the company. I just don't know if getting a cover on and off is a reasonable expectation. There likely is only an inch or two space between the winch and the rear spare tire.

Ah. That makes more sense. I thought it would’ve been similar set up as a front bumper.

Is there any type of plate you can put around the winch to protect the back and underside from debris?

 

[21RG]

But it begs the question - if it is frozen is it entirely impossible to use? Lots of people have winches up front in similar environments and I never hear of them freezing up that's a new one to me. But I certainly see that possibility.

Not impossible to use. You had asked about longevity, if you leave the synthetic line and not clean it it will degrade over time. Same as with a cable, it will rust.

You had mentioned this- "plus they spray that liquid de-icer salt garbage in my area" It is the same in PA and it does cause issues.

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